RMPFF - Rocky Mountain Patagonia Fly Fishing

The MAGnificent 7!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Love This Cover Art!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:55:00 +0000

Yeah! Come and Get Some...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Come And Get It...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:58:00 +0000

FFFR Conclave In Loveland For 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:21:00 +0000

The Federation of Fly Fishers' (FFF) 44th annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave lands in Loveland, CO this year and runs for five days beginning July 28. The Conclave schedule will include more than 80 workshops and clinics on casting, fly tying, on-water fishing techniques and other topics, and features exhibits with the latest in gear, outfitters, conservation information and other topics such as outdoor art and books.

Patagonia will be in attendance with a booth and several of our Fish personalities to review product, the World Trout Initiative and upcoming new developments with both dealers and customers alike. Please stop by!

Get complete information at the FFF Conclave Web site.

Extra Extra - On Stands Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:19:00 +0000

The Good Times...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Need I say more? No... no need.

Come And Get It!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Baselayer!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:06:00 +0000

From Fish & Fly - we couldn't have said it better ourselves!

Over 20 years ago, Patagonia introduced layering for the outdoors. From the original polypropylene in 1980 to the more environmentally friendly Performance Baselayers of today, we’re continually striving to set the standards for baselayer performance.

Patagonia Performance Baselayers offer two approaches to the goal of staying dry and comfortable: Capilene® polyester with recycled content or all-natural merino wool.

Baselayers - Capilene and Merino Wool
Next-to-skin baselayer is critical for angler comfort. This allows the angler to remain dry next to your skin so you avoid the effects of evaporative cooling and the clammy feeling of moisture on the skin. Worn alone in warm weather, the baselayer wicks moisture off your skin and out to the air, providing a cooling and drying effect on the skin. For those hiking in to fish and working up a sweat there are obvious benefits. For anglers standing still for long periods while fishing, the benefits of wicking ambient moisture off the skin while not wetting out are equally important. In cold weather it moves ambient moisture and sweat from exertion off the skin and into the outer layers, which in turn move it to the surface to evaporate. The Other performance benefits of Patagonia’s next-to-skin layer is quickness to dry, insulation when needed, environmentally safe odor control and ease of care (can be machine or sink washed).

UK anglers are challenged at home by the Maritime Climate with bone-chilling damp during salmon season and winter trout that slightly improves to a warmer damp in the summer months. Traveling anglers face the same myriad of climatic challenges when headed to remote destinations in South America, New Zealand, Rocky Mountains and even the tropics. To address moisture and temperature challenges, Patagonia offers two Baselayer collections with 4 specific weights.

Capilene is made from specially designed polyester fabrics that actively move moisture away from the skin when walking, standing and wading for long periods of time. For odor control, we added a naturally derived treatment called Gladiodor allowing for multi-day use between washing. Capilene 1 is designed for hot weather as it is fast-wicking, fast drying and highly breathable. Capilene 2 is for mild to cool conditions. Capilene 3 is our most versatile and popular style with its dense interior honeycomb construction that is brushed for warmth and softness. From walking the dog to taking on salmon in full conditions, this is an important style to have in your kit. Capilene 4 is warmest Capilene, featuring an inside grid pattern that disperses moisture and retains great warmth.

Our Capilene Baselayer can be recycled through our Common Threads Recycling Program. When your Capilene is no longer usable, send it back and we melt down these garments to create new polyester fibers for future clothing. This keeps worn garments out of landfills.

Merino Wool
Wool has long been popular for anglers with is inherent ability to remain warm when wet and resistant to odor. A quantum leap by 3 ranches in New Zealand produces special fine-gauge yarn fiber that is 18.5 micron fineness, one-fifth the thickness of a human hair that actually can wick moisture. Using Patagonia’s slow wash process instead of using the environmentally damaging chlorine to remove the hard scales, we are confident that this is the best 100% Merino Wool Baselayer that manages moisture, is incredibly soft against the skin, naturally odor resistant and is machine washable. We developed Wool 1-4 weights like Capilene, with Wool 1 being the lightest. Wool 2 best suited for use in warm to cool conditions. Wool 3 best suited for active, cold conditions. And Wool 4 for coldest conditions and styled for outerwear for even greater variety of uses.

Way too much of what is made these days ends up in the trash at the end of its useful life. At Patagonia, we're working to change that.

In 2005 we launched our Common Threads Garment Recycling Program, through which customers could return their worn out Capilene® Performance Baselayers to us for recycling. We've since been able to expand the list of recyclable garments to include worn out Patagonia® fleece, Polartec® fleece clothing (from any maker), Patagonia cotton T-shirts, and now some additional polyester and nylon 6 products that come with a Common Threads tag.

Through Common Threads we can transform your unusable garments into new clothing, which gets us closer to a long-standing company goal of taking full responsibility for every product we make.

How to Recycle
Recycling old Patagonia garments is easy. Simply wash them first and use one of the following collection methods:

1. Mail them to the Patagonia Service Center at

Patagonia Service Center
ATTN: Common Threads Recycling Program
8550 White Fir Street
Reno, NV 89523-8939

2. Drop them off at the Patagonia Retail Store nearest you or at one of our Performance Baselayer Dealers – ideally, while you're running other errands, to reduce environmental impact.

Please note: Recycling your old clothes is voluntary. If you choose to recycle, you'll gain the satisfaction of knowing that your old polyester garments will not end up in a landfill or an incinerator, and that future Patagonia products will require significantly less virgin polyester (less oil) than products from seasons past.

Fine Brew Can = Finer Rivers...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:14:00 +0000

During the month of May, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will donate to Western Rivers Conservancy a portion of the proceeds from every 12-pack of Pale Ale and Summerfest Lager sold in the United States. LINK

Courtesy of the Chum...

Days On Road and Water

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:48:00 +0000

A spring road trip through southern CO and NM always affords the angler a chance to fish quality water. This particular trip found me meeting with some great Patagonia Fish accounts and spending some time with the folks that make them the great places they are.

Jon Harp of the Conejos River Anglers was kind enough to take me on a quick tour of that storied fishery. If you have never had an opportunity to walk the land and water of that canyon, make a plan to do so. "Spectacular" does not do it justice. Although the water was running closer to chocolate milk, the company and scenery more than made up for it. Jon has done an incredible job with the Superfly event and the potential for some amazing river habitat improvements over the next few years is quickly becoming reality. Kudos to all the staff there.

From there it was off to the San Juan to meet with Larry Johnson and Leslie Jedrey who operate the Soaring Eagle Lodge. Short story - get there. Great company, excellent guide staff, productive private water and fantastic meals are just the tip of the iceberg. The fabled waters of the SJ produced many a hungry rainbow and brown trout, and the unique nature of the fishery demanded a diverse skill set and patience.

To top it all off, there is no better chance to drill professional guides on Patagonia gear. Even I got to put some products I had not used to the test including the Stormfront Pack, the Hip Chest Pack and the new Guidewater Waders. Make no mistake - the water of the San Juan never really warms up and merino-lined booties make and 8-hour day of wading plenty comfy. As always, the Great Divider stands out as the premier drift boat bag. I got to row Larry's Clackacraft (exactly the same as my boat which made it easy...) one day and the GD keeps everything where you need it and dry to boot.

Thanks to everyone for your hospitality, local knowledge and dedication to the Patagonia brand. I have to give a special bonus award to Larry and Leslie - waking up every morning to the Red Sox scores outside the fly shop was just sensational - the fact they swept the Yankees series boded well for tight lines on the water!

The Remat!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:46:00 +0000

One man's trash is another man or woman's…wader changing mat. The ultimate recycled product, the Remat is a byproduct from automobile gasket manufacturing (o-rings), reworked and repurposed for a long life of heavy-duty use. Beyond wader changing, it doubles (or triples) as a driftboat seat cushion, work station floor mat or boat floor protection from studded boots. The tough, cushy, water- and stain-resistant Remat is also showing up in front of kitchen sinks and mudroom doors wherever anglers live. Surfers, skiers and snowboarders have found the Remat to be ideal for parking lot changing as well as for cushioning between surfboards on the rack. It's a good thing to have around camp too. Made from 100% synthetic nitrile rubber.

Details

Withstands temperatures from -40 C to +125 C
Oil/fuel resistant
No off-gasing
Abrasion-resistant
Water-resistant
Extermely flexible and lightweight
No PVC content; floats; easy to wash
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR) with 30% – 35% Acrylonitrile Content. Commonly referred as "Nitrile" or "Buna-N" rubber.
Recyclable through the Common Threads Recycling Program
354 g (12.5 oz)
Made in USA

Photos by Billy Smith, S. Stracqualursi and Rene Braun

Scanout Mag Delivers!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:34:00 +0000

"Online publishing tools continue to help spawn new format offspring as paper dependent purveyors struggle to adapt. The most recent evolution is Scanout Magazine. Here's what Tim Pask had to say about this new "off the road" venture:

"Yngve, Peter and I had been tossing this idea around for several months and went to work on the project just after Yngve returned from Argentina. Our magazine concept is very simple and along with our Art Director, Peter Huber, we have decided to release a new issue every time we return from a trip. We will release issues from previous trips, but for the most part we will focus our efforts on recent travels.

The first issue of Scanout Magazine focuses on a trip that Yngve Ask made while traveling throughout Patagonia. It is titled Mustangs of Stag River and Yngve takes us on a photographic tour of this amazing Estancia and the Mustangs that roam its seemingly endless territory. The second issue of Scanout Magazine takes place in Miami Beach, as we pursue The Silver King with Captain Carl Ball.

This latest issue of Scanout Magazine focuses on a Steelhead float trip. We hope you enjoy our newest project."

Thanks, once again, to El Pescador...

Issue 16 - So Good...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:19:00 +0000

CNN Delivers Well-Deserved Press on Project Healing Waters

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:37:00 +0000

MADISON COUNTY, Virginia (CNN) -- Amidst the tranquility of a fishing trip at the Rose River Farm in Madison County, a wounded warrior says he almost feels "semi-normal again."

The amputee is one of about 1,000 servicemen and veterans who have reaped the benefits of the therapeutic art of fly-fishing, with the help of retired Navy Capt. Ed Nicholson.

"The demons of war, you just don't set them aside," says Nicholson, 67. "But once you get out on the river, the serenity is incredibly healing."

While recovering from cancer surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2004, Nicholson witnessed wounded and disabled men and women -- many of them amputees -- struggling with their injuries.

"Other than being in Vietnam and seeing people in the process of getting hurt, I never really had a full appreciation for the recovery part and what happened after they came home. My recovery was nothing compared to what they were facing. It planted the seed that maybe there's something I could do," Nicholson says.

The solution was obvious to Nicholson, who says being an outdoorsman is in his blood: Get them out of the hospital and into nature.

Through free classes and outings, Nicholson's organization, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, helps rehabilitate injured and disabled servicemembers and veterans.

"We would run these classes that would better prepare them to be fishermen when the weather got nice and we could move outside, start casting lessons and go fishing," he says.

Nicholson and ty flying instructor John Colburn saw that the discipline of tying flies, which requires patience and training, benefited veterans recovering from injuries. And it helped them relax.

BWO's Starting To Cause A Stir In CO

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:29:00 +0000

"It isn't necessarily carved in stone that the meek shall inherit. But, in the case of a certain tiny insect, it certainly can cause a lot of commotion.

You'll find this occurrence on display at rivers all across the Colorado high country, where an emergence of miniature mayflies has touched off what may be the most dynamic surface fly-fishing event of the season.

This little bit of a bug is the baetis, better known and loved by its descriptive name, the Blue-Winged Olive or, for simplification, BWO. The beauty of the baetis is in its punch, the sheer strength to endure a cold weather lifestyle where other mayflies cannot survive.

In doing so, it serves a serendipitous function both for hungry trout and eager anglers. The season's first significant dry fly event features the perfect insect for Colorado, where higher elevation and a plenitude of tailwaters demands a bug tough enough to take the chill. This tough little bug also has the punch to produce two separate broods each year; rare among mayflies, it yields a second hatch almost precisely six months later, in late September and October — just in case we didn't have enough fun first time around."

Congrats YC!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Jim Range Conservation Vision Award: Yvon Chouinard

"Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia's founder, started Patagonia in 1973 to meet the equipment and clothing needs of outdoor enthusiasts, primarily rock climbers, hikers and anglers. From the very beginning, Patagonia devoted time and money to the increasingly apparent national and world-wide environmental crisis. Yvon saw what was happening in the remote corners of the world: creeping pollution and deforestation, the slow, then not so slow, disappearance of fish and wildlife and decided to do something about it. Since then, Patagonia never looked back.

Yvon had the foresight and commitment to have Patagonia become a leader in giving back to natural resources to ensure their future viability and stability. In 1986, Patagonia began a program that makes it unique among corporate entities that care about fisheries habitat. Patagonia committed to donate 10% of profits each year to grass-roots environmental groups. They later upped the ante to 1% of sales, or 10% of profits, whichever was greater. Patagonia has kept to that commitment every year since, and placed a high emphasis on fishery habitat protection over the years, as evidenced by the starting of the World Trout Initiative to specifically address trout habitats and populations, the 1% For the Planet program that supports local grass-roots projects which include fishery habitat projects, and the Conservation Alliance – a program that enlists other funding sources to participate in wildlife and fisheries habitat projects."

Synopsis:

SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL FISH HABITAT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Award Ceremony to be held at Jim Range National Casting Call, Winners include: EPA, Patagonia, Project SHARE, LLI-University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes

(Washington, DC) – A group of the nation’s leading authorities on aquatic conservation, the National Fish Habitat Board, will honor two exceptional organizations and two individual champions in aquatic resource conservation at the Second Annual National Fish Habitat Awards ceremony on April 27, 2009 at the Jim Range National Casting Call hosted by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association.

From nominations submitted by the hundreds of organizations that comprise the National Fish Habitat Partners Coalition, the awardees demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to fish habitat conservation, science and education. They are leading by example to help resolve the nation’s most significant fisheries problems.

For 2009, the selection committee added an additional award category, Extraordinary Action category in support of fish habitat, bringing the total number of awards to four. Also, in honor of the recently passed Jim Range, who tragically lost his battle with cancer, the selection committee has re-named the Exceptional Vision Award in Jim’s honor. The award will now be the Jim Range Conservation Vision Award. “Renaming the Award in honor of Jim, is just a small token to honor all that he has done in Washington to support fish and wildlife conservation. The Board found it fitting to rename the award and there is no better venue to honor Jim than Casting Call.” said Kelly Hepler, National Fish Habitat Board Chairman. “Jim was a true pioneer for conservation and was a true visionary when it came to fish and wildlife related issues.”

Pack Vest Revisited!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Patagonia introduced the Pack Vest in 1996 and holds the patent on this modular backpack and utility vest concept . This award winning product continues to provide straight forward, reliable functionality even though it hasn't changed all that much in over a decade. The latest version of this piece of gear has some crossover functionality with the Stormfront Pack. The front vest component connects to that as well. What inspired the post though was that I saw reviews of the Sun Mask and Pack Vest in Steve Schmidt's Western Rivers March newsletter that I wanted to share. Here's what Steve wrote about the Pack Vest:

"Over the three decades I’ve been seriously chasing fish with a fly rod, I’ve not found a more versatile vest than this. For 2009 it’s been revised, and it's better than ever. It can be either a very light and perfectly functional vest, or a vest with a comfortable pack on your back for carrying rain gear, camera, lunch, water, etc…or it's just a very good backpack for wherever you may wander. For the money, considering the cost of a good vest these days, it’s also a great value at $180.00 (US Dollars)"

Visit the Patagonia web site to learn more about the Pack Vest.

Once again, thanks to Steve and Way Upstream for a great post.

The Divider Series - Live And Direct

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:19:00 +0000

From standing waves to blue-water wind chop, there's one universal truth: Watercraft decks get wet. Hence, the award-winning Great Divider and new Sub Divider. These soft-sided gear cases efficiently organize and protect everything a waterman needs. They are built from 840-denier nylon with a polyurethane coating on both sides and patented molded top and bottom "pans" for waterproof protection even in standing water (up to the #10 reverse coated zipper). Welded seams eliminate leakage. Shock-absorbing high-density foam gives these gear cases structure and can be removed for cleaning or to create an occasional cooler. Inside, foam dividers can be arranged in multiple configurations. Transparent pocketing makes locating things easy plus the end pockets are removable and are excellent for organizing small items. Access through the highly water-resistant zipper is aided by a new t-grip plus we've eased the corner radii for a little smoother zipper action. The Dividers are now more streamlined than ever with a single, widely adjustable, removable handle/split shoulder strap. Both the Dividers make great air travel carry on bags for sensitive equipment. Note that the time tested Great Divider fits into the base of the Freightliner Max as well as the newer Freewheeler Max. You'll find the Guidewater Duffle collection to be Divider-friendly too.

Photos by Rene Braun

Thanks to Steve and Way Upstream

Brownlining with T2...

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:48:00 +0000

By JUSTIN SCHECK

"ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Like most serious fly fishermen, Tom Teasdale has a little-known place where he finds peace in a river's placid waters.

Standing waist-deep and casting a hand-tied fly earlier this month, he pointed to his favorite deep pool. "This is the honey hole," he said.

Here, the fish are big. The strikes are frequent. And other anglers are kept at bay by the occasional bobbing diaper.

Mr. Teasdale's fly-fishing hole is on the South Platte River, at the mouth of a 6-foot-wide corrugated-metal drainpipe and downstream from a wastewater-treatment plant. The water has elevated levels of E. coli bacteria, according to government surveys. When Mr. Teasdale walks alone past the graffiti-covered overpass and down the littered trail in this Denver suburb, he brings his Glock 9mm pistol to ward off "shady characters."

Mr. Teasdale is a "brownliner," one of the growing ranks of fly fishermen who try to catch whatever lives in the muck close to home -- in drainage canals, cemented urban riverbeds and murky farm-runoff canals. Another of Mr. Teasdale's favorite spots is a muddy stretch of river behind a strip mall.

Brownliners enjoy fly-fishing's primary perks -- the suspense of watching a fly disappear beneath the water's surface, the struggle of man against beast, the spinning of fish stories. If that doesn't come with fresh water and clean air, so be it."

State Of The Steelhead

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:21:00 +0000

To further put the "world record" Hoh steelhead hullabaloo in perspective I would encourage everyone to read Patagonia Fly Fishing Ambassador Dylan Tomine's, State of the Steelhead. Originally appearing in Wild on the Fly, it can now be found in on-line magazine form courtesy of Tim Pask. Balancing the sobering information contained in the article is some photography from Tim and Jeff Bright that beautifully underscores exactly what's at stake.

Dylan Tomine's State of the Steelhead

Courtesy of Moldy Chum

Pebble Mine In Men's Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:16:00 +0000

By Marshall Cutchin

"A pair of earthen dams (one, the world's largest at four miles long) will hold back 10 square miles of chemical waste. If this toxic lagoon ever leaks -- ever -- it will poison not only nearby streams and rivers but also the key spawning grounds for the largest sustainable salmon fishery on Earth, 200 miles downstream in Bristol Bay." In Men's Journal, writer Daniel Duane takes a closer look at the ongoing fight over whether Northern Dynasty should be allowed to build a massive gold, copper, and molybdenum mining operation in the Alaskan wilderness.

Courtesy of MidCurrent, again...

Get Some!

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Colorado Springs Fly Fishing Show

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:35:00 +0000

The 2nd annual Colorado Springs Fly Fishing Show hosted by Angler's Covey was held yesterday. Several industry reps were on hand to chat with the few hundred customers and anglers that came down on a funky snowy day.

Fly tying clinics ran throughout the day and some excellent slide show / Power Point presentations covered great topics such as fishing effectively with streamers and the seasonal hatches in the Roaring Fork Valley. I took advantage of a large space and set up five seasonal layering scenarios and talked to several people about the appropriate Patagonia pieces they needed to stay comfy on the water. Angler's Covey has done a great job with their landscaping and have two large casting pools on the side of the building and just about every rod in the house got tested - and several were sold.

All in all a really fun event and a great success for the Covey. They moved a lot of product, educated local anglers and continued to build the strong community in the Springs. I was very glad to be a part of it.

Patagonia Layering 101:

FFFT & Boulder - A Classic Combo

noreply@blogger.com (Matt O'Connor) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Once again the home town did not disappoint with a fantastic showing at the Boulder Theater for the Fly Fishing Film Tour. After a 1-year hiatus, the Tour was back and better than ever as an eager crowd ate it up.

With a few changes in the line-up there were films that appealed to everyone and once again the footage of a winter midge hatch on the Roaring Fork got great response (The volume of that response had nothing to do with a crowd ready to take on the challenge thrown down by Tour organizers: The last time the FFFT was at the Boulder Theater the bar posted its all-time best sales. What? That's right. Could we beat it this time around? I'm not sure if we did but as I closed out my tab the boys working the stick were very pleased...).

A beautiful Boulder Boat Works drift boat (pictured) added some spice out front and the raffling of a new SST Jacket and Sage Z-Axis rod got the crowd fired up during intermission. I have to admit, we were all psyched on the number of women in the house and a lucky lady went home with the jacket. Nice.

The folks from Rocky Mountain Anglers and Front Range Anglers also threw in some great prizes. The staffs of both shops came out in force and although I never saw him, the ever entertaining Randal Hicks of Rocky Mtn. made his presence felt throughout the evening.

To all of those who showed up, thanks again. It is a pleasure to live in a town with so many bug-throwers ready to support the pursuit we love, the groups that protect the resources we treasure and the film makers that get us fired up in the middle of winter. See you on the water!

How's this for a classic Boulder Theater line-up?!?